


Sleepy Hollow the Naruto Way

by CaladeanFey



Category: Naruto
Genre: Alternate Universe, Blood and Gore, Crying, Death, Demons, Emotional, F/M, Family, Gore, M/M, Murder, Plot Twists, Pumpkins, Revelations, Rituals, Torture, Violence, Witchcraft, Yaoi
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-10-03
Updated: 2019-07-13
Packaged: 2019-07-24 12:26:34
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 3
Words: 16,546
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16175057
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CaladeanFey/pseuds/CaladeanFey
Summary: A Sleepy Hollow- Headless Horseman story very loosely based on the Sleepy Hollow movie.There will be lots of differences from the movie and of course it has the characters from Naruto.It is of course a slow build Sasu/Naru.There is major character death, gore, and blood. More sad, emotional, and violent than my other works.Headless horseman Sasuke, Ichabod Naruto.This fan-fiction is to celebrate Halloween and the month of October.





	1. Sacrifice

**Author's Note:**

> First and foremost let me explain how this fan-fiction came into existence. It all came from two words, "Christmas elves".  
> My sister and I were watering our chickens in the afternoon in July when she turns to me and says "For some reason I'm thinking of Christmas elves". My reply is, "What the hell? Christmas elves." And as I'm thinking Christmas elves my mind suddenly jumps to Naruto and headless horseman, Sleepy Hollow. No stops no sidetracks in my thinking process just straight from Christmas elves to Naruto Sleepy Hollow fan-fiction. Obviously you never know where, when, and from what inspiration will suddenly spring. Mine just happened to be Christmas elves. So here it is my Halloween special fan-fiction Sleepy Hollow the Naruto Way. Please enjoy and check out my other works. 
> 
> And I'd like to give a shout out for all my fellow October babies. HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                                                              **Sasuke Uchiha**

         A woman stands at a dark wooden table wearing a simple wool dress that is a faded green from frequent washings. A stained white apron with pockets protects her dress from possible spillage, and her long silky midnight black hair is pinned up with a metal clip made of nickel in the shape of clustered roses. Her face is beautiful and kind as she works, pounding a stone pestle into a shallow bowl mashing the dried herbs inside into a fine powder.

         “Sasuke.” Mikoto Uchiha calls to her youngest son in the next room as she presses harder on the pestle.

         “Yes mother?” A raven haired teenage boy asks coming into the kitchen his eyes as dark as the woman’s eyes standing before him.

         Mikoto turns and smiles cheerfully at her son, “Dear I need you to go into town and purchase some tomatoes and garlic for me. Your brother Itachi will be back later today and I want to make something special to celebrate.”

         “He’s finally coming back home?” Sasuke asks excitedly.

          Sasuke’s older brother Itachi is a soldier and has been away from home for 3 months, him coming home is glorious news.

         “Ha ha, yes but don’t tell him I told you. He wants it to be a surprise.” Mikoto tells her youngest son placing a finger to her lips.

         “Very well mother I will act surprised for your sake.” Sasuke promises.

         “When did he send word?” he inquires.

         “Last night when I was tending the fire the flames spelled out I will be home by evening tomorrow mother. Don’t tell Sasuke I want to surprise him and tell father I have a new book for his collection.” Mikoto recites to Sasuke.

         “That’s just like Itachi.” Sasuke comments.

         Mikoto Uchiha like a few other people in the Uchiha clan is a witch. Her abilities in witchcraft are mostly in healing and making potions, but like all Uchiha witches she has an affinity with fire.

         Being a caring person Mikoto in her youth decided to put her abilities to good use and became the village doctor’s assistant where she is able to cleverly use her witchcraft for healing on others and make more potent medicine than any normal doctor without arousing suspicion. Itachi Uchiha like his mother is a witch however, his witchcraft unlike his mother’s has to do with cursing and hexes. Do to the nature of his witchcraft Itachi decided he would be best fit to the role of a soldier where his magic could be used against enemy invaders to keep his homeland safe. Itachi’s affinity with the fire element is also much greater than his mothers. No one has had the amount of control over the fire element as Itachi does for centuries.

          Creating messages with fire and sending them to Mikoto is the one way Itachi has kept in touch with his family since it is much faster than sending a letter and safer since no one but the intended reader an read the message spelled out in fire.

         Mikoto and Itachi take great pains to hide their witch crafting powers in order to not be persecuted for them, and the entire Uchiha clan likewise guards the secret carried through their bloodline. So guarded is it that the Uchiha family members mainly only marry into the clan, outside blood is very rare. Mikoto and her husband Fugaku are second cousins themselves.

         Sasuke grabs his black cloak with its trademark Uchiha fan symbol and slips on his muddy brown colored boots and laces them up for his trip into town. Mikoto hands him a small gray pouch that clinks with coins when he is done.

         “Get some extra tomatoes while you’re out as a treat.” Mikoto tells him smoothing back a lock of his black hair from his forhead.

         “Thank you mother.” Sasuke replies kissing her cheek in farewell.

 

 

 

 

         Thirty some minutes later, Sasuke arrives at the outskirts of the small town of Sleepy Hollow. Beneath him his horse Chidori huffs out clouds of smoke in the chilly morning air. The horse had been a gift from his parents on his birthday three years ago. Chidori is a gorgeous young stallion with a thick black coat that shines like obsidian. On his proud forehead is a long streak of white hair that forks like lightning.

         Sasuke pulls his cloak tighter around himself as he notes that fall is coming early to Sleepy Hollow this year. Chidori trots past the local farms, the farmers are already out and about in their fields gathering the last of the fruits of their summertime labor, and preparing for an early frost. The Uchiha clan moved to Sleepy Hollow only seventy years ago, many of the townspeople had roots in Sleepy Hollow far longer than that. The Uchiha family is also considered an anomaly because they live so far away from town. An entire wooded area full of wolves and other wild creatures separate the Uchiha lands and the other landowners of Sleepy Hollow. A few town members have vast lands but none so far out as the Uchihas.

         Despite their seclusion the Uchihas are a well-known, incredibly wealthy family, and Sasuke’s father even holds a place on the town council. Mikoto being the only town doctor’s assistant also gives the family a higher standing.

         A few minutes later Sasuke arrives at one of the local farmhouses where his mother’s best friend Marlene lives. Marlene is a simple farmwife with two toddler children of her own and grows the best tomatoes in the entire village. Mikoto and Marlene are childhood friends and Mikoto had helped deliver both of Marlene’s children.

        Sasuke slips off Chidori and ties the reins to a wooden fence post before going up to the farmhouse door and knocking five times. A few seconds later a short plump brown curly haired woman opens the door. Her cheeks are a rosy red and her hair is frizzing up into a large puffy mass. The woman radiates warmth and comfort standing in her pale gray dress and stained white apron. Specks of flour are scattered across her clothing and red and purple splotches dot her apron and hands. The woman’s blue eyes shine with happiness as she looks up at Sasuke. 

         "Sasuke honey! It’s so good to see you!” Marlene’s loud alto voice cries out as she yanks Sasuke into a warm hug.

          Sasuke gladly returns the woman’s hug used to the over exuberant greetings since childhood. Mikoto and Marlene are probably the villages oddest set of friends. Mikoto is a tall regal woman with straight black hair, pale skin and an air of elegance about her, she also has a sweet light melodious voice and eyes dark as night. Marlene however is short in stature with the curliest hair ever seen and eyes a brighter blue than the midday sky. Her skin is a dark tan from long hours under the sun and her voice booms out at a naturally loud volume. Marlene’s whisper is the same volume as someone’s regular speaking voice.

          To top that Mikoto comes from a wealthy family and had become a doctor’s assistant. While Marlene is descended from poor farmers and continued the tradition by marrying another farmer and working the fields everyday with her husband in order to bring in the crop at harvest time and put enough food on the table.

          At one point Marlene and her husband had fallen victim to a drought and lost everything they had. Mikoto wanted to help her friend but Marlene refused to take charity. Instead Marlene asked Mikoto for a loan on the condition that it would be paid back in full with interest in ten years time. Mikoto not wanting her friend to move away due to poverty agreed. Marlene and her husband worked like dogs every day from dawn till dusk in their fields and wherever they could pick up a bit of coinage in town at night. After seven years Marlene paid off her debt to Mikoto and her farm has prospered ever sense.

         Through it all Mikoto and Marlene had stayed friends and even now they get together every single day of the week when Mikoto comes into town for her work. Of the few townspeople Sasuke could stand to be in contact with, Marlene is his favorite. She is incredibly hard working and caring, plus never once has she spread rumors or has had a cross thing to say about his family like many of the town’s people. To top that his favorite food besides tomatoes are the fruit pies made by Marlene.

         Marlene finally releases Sasuke from a crushing hug and yanks him inside her warm house.

         “Come in dear, come in. What can I do for you today? Oh would you care for some fruit pie? I just baked it. How is Mikoto? Any letter from Itachi yet?” Marlene quickly fires question after question at Sasuke as she pulls him into her cozy kitchen and grabs a steaming kettle next to a steaming pie.

         The smell of fresh baked pie hits Sasuke and he breathes in deeply before answering Marlene’s barrage of questions.

          “First I would like to purchase some tomatoes and garlic from you for mother. Second I would gladly take a slice of pie. Third mother is quite well. And lastly yes we have received word from Itachi and he will be coming back soon.” Sasuke answers her questions as she plops a large piece of fresh pie on a plate onto the table with a cup of tea and a fork.

          “Oh! That is wonderful to hear! I will get those tomatoes and garlic right away. Oh, but since you are here can I ask you a favor dear?” Marlene says putting the kettle back on the stove and covering the pie with a cloth.

          “Of course. What is it you require Marlene?” Sasuke asks cutting into the pie with his fork. The juice of the berries drip out as his utensil slides easily though the crust.

          “I need a package picked up at the market in Bartley but our horse Cherry has come down with a limp so I’m afraid it isn’t possible. Could I trouble you to go pick it up instead?” Marlene asks him her blue eyes pleading.

          Bartley is the town over from Sleepy Hollow and is a good two hour ride away by horse back. If he left after delivering the vegetables to his mother he could be back shortly after midday.

          “Yes I can fetch your parcel for you, once I have your vegetables I’ll deliver them to mother then head over to Bartley.” Sasuke replies taking a bite of pie, the flavor bursts over his tongue and he lets out a hum of approval.

          “Oh now don’t worry about the vegetables, farmer Tate is taking a load of his crop to the Uchiha lands in a little bit from now. I’ll just tag along with him and take them to your mother. It’s been a while since I have been to see her anyway.” Marlene tells him drinking her own cup of tea.

          “What about Ida and Able?” Sasuke asks.

           Ida and Able are Marlene’s five year old daughter and four year old son.

          “They are staying with my sister Sarah Carnall in the next town over, won’t be back till the day after tomorrow.” Marlene assures him.

           “Is your husband with them?” Sasuke asks surprised.

           “Yes, they left yesterday afternoon. My sister and her spouse needed help on their farm for a few days and she wanted to see the children so I told him to go without me since I have to bake some pies for Mitsy’s wedding tomorrow.” Marlene explains.

           “You should have informed mother, we would have immediately come helped you with the chores.” Sasuke scolds her softly.

           “Oh hush, I’m a strong woman Sasuke, just ask your mom. The farm is no trouble for me to handle for a short time especially since we took in the crop last week.” Marlene defends back.

           “Fine but if you have any need please let us know for mother’s sake. She would have my head if she found out you were in need and I hadn’t helped you.” Sasuke tells her seriously.

            Marlene laughs as she replies, “Yes, Mikoto is quite the vicious one when she wants to be. Don’t worry I will sing praises for you when I see her later. Anyway I best let you go. Let me just fetch a slip of paper to write a note for Mr. Parkin at the storehouse. Just show him the letter and he will get you what I need.” Marlene says getting up and moving to another room.

           Sasuke finishes his pie slice before she comes back in and hands him a small piece of paper with writing more elegant than a poor farmers daughter should have been capable of.

           “Now off with ya. Be sure to water your horse before you leave, you know where the trough is and help yourself to some grain too.” Marlene says while handing him a small wrapped parcel of bread and cheese.

           Sasuke thanks her and goes back out to Chidori who neighs at him and snuffles him for food. Sasuke rubs his nose and hands him a small carrot before taking him to the water trough. A few minutes later Chidori is off at a full gallop on the path to Bartley.

 

 

 

           Sometime later Sasuke arrives at Bartley. The sun is getting closer to midday but it is very much still morning. Bartley is much bigger than the smaller town of Sleepy Hollow boasting its own messenger office and bank. The streets are bustling with more traffic than Sleepy Hollow; but not as much as the larger city of Vale where Sasuke had once visited with his father.

           Carefully he rides Chidori through the town to the shop of Mr. Parkin. When he goes inside Mr. Parkin is shocked to see him, but once handed Marlene’s letter he quickly fetches the package and hands it over to Sasuke before wishing him a good day.

           Sasuke remounts Chidori and heads back to the outskirts of town. Just as Sasuke is crossing the border from the edge of town to the road back to Sleepy Hollow he hears someone call his name.

           “Sasuke.”

            Sasuke halts Chidori and turns his eyes to see a beautiful chestnut mare with white socks mounted by a tall figure in a black cloak with a long ponytail of hair even blacker than the cloak he wears.

            “Itachi!” Sasuke says with surprise as his older brother brings his mare over to stand by Chidori.

           “It is good to see you Sasuke. What are you doing here in Bartley? I had hoped to surprise you at home.” Itachi asks clasping Sasuke’s shoulder in affection.

            Sasuke returns the gesture before speaking.

            “I am surprised as it is to see you here. I assumed you would be coming from a different route. As for my presence Marlene asked me to pick up a package for her when I visited for vegetables this morning.” Sasuke replies starting his horse into a leisurely walk.

            Sasuke notes that his brother’s face looks harder and bears the lines of someone who has not slept as much as they should. Itachi follows suit and they talk as their horses walk.

           “Ah, I see. How is Marlene?” Itachi asks.

            Like Sasuke, Itachi is very fond of Marlene, she is almost a second mother to them or a beloved aunt.

            “She is well. Her children and husband are away at the moment, but she refused help on the farm when I offered it.” Sasuke tells him.

            “Yes, Marlene would do that. No matter we will visit her this evening and help anyway.” Itachi tells him.

            “She will be visiting mother today at home so we can escort her back and just stay behind to help.” Sasuke informs Itachi.

            “Good. Now how are you and the rest of the family?” Itachi asks him with a small smile.

            “Mother is very well. Last week there was a serious outbreak of coughing and fevers. She was neglecting sleep in order to make enough potions and overused her witchcraft to exhaustion. Father and I forced her to stop to eat and sleep when we could but she wouldn’t rest any longer than needed. The village is healthy again though, so she has rested well since.” Sasuke tells Itachi who just nods his head in understanding. “Father says the council has been acting strange these last few days though. They forgot to notify him of a meeting the day before last and some of the council members have been down right avoiding him.”

           “Why would they be behaving so abnormally? Father is a hard man to understand but he is respectable. Surely he would not have offended anyone.” Itachi muses out loud.

           “We are quite concerned, but father said to just let it be for a few days then he will confront them at the next meeting about it.” Sasuke answers Itachi.

           “Very well if that is father’s decision.” Itachi concedes.

            For the rest of the time Itachi and Sasuke talk about Itachi’s travels and the things he has done as a soldier. Even without witchcraft Itachi is a deadly person and had risen through two ranks while away for three months. During his time away Itachi used his cursing abilities as infrequently and untraceably as possible. The worst he’d used it for was poisoning the enemy’s water sources, rotting their food supplies, ruining their equipment, and setting small forest fires to flush them out. Things that could be considered bad luck instead of witchcraft.

             Sasuke listens to his brother with rapt attention. Itachi has always been the person he looks up to most. Mikoto was against both of her sons becoming soldiers and very vocal about it so Sasuke became a town night watchman when he was of age for a job. Fugaku had not been pleased with the decision but one look from Mikoto had shut him up permanently on the subject.

             Before long they near the Uchiha complex which is a gathering of eleven different houses that are large in stature spaced only a few feet apart. The Uchiha clan is very close knit and liked to stick together. Sasuke is surprised no one comes to greet them but as it is a little after midday they are probably all sitting down for food.

             Sasuke is about to dismount Chidori when Itachi grabs his arm.

             “Sasuke, wait.” Itachi commands him. “Something isn’t right.”

             Sasuke looks closer at the Uchiha homes. Nothing looks out of place all the doors are closed the dogs are bark- wait the dogs aren’t barking at all, and its quiet. Too quiet.

             Itachi slowly dismounts and pulls a rifle from beneath his cloak were he’d hidden it. Carefully Itachi approaches the second house. Their house. Sasuke follows him and dismounts quietly. They’d come from the back of the settlement since it was closer to the woods they’d cut through from Bartley. With Itachi’s witchcraft they didn’t have to worry about the dangerous wildlife like normal people. Anyone else though would have come from the opposite side from Sleepy Hollow.

            As quietly as possible they slip over to the house’s back entrance Itachi armed with his gun and Sasuke with the hunting knife he always carries. Itachi stops just before the door and then as gently as possible opens it. The door swings open without a creak and Itachi peers inside. Itachi then motions Sasuke to follow him and steps through into the unknown. Once inside they stare around at the kitchen. Mikoto’s mortar and pestle are left on the kitchen table a half ground powdery mess still inside abandoned. Mikoto always insisted things had to be extremely clean and tidy, so her tools left askew and still dirtied is unthinkable. One of the kitchen chairs is knocked over too.

            Itachi and Sasuke share a look both knowing something seriously wrong has happened. Together they stalk to the front room checking around every corner. What awaits them in the front room is a sight so horrifying it burns into Sasuke’s corneas. There lying on the rug before the fireplace is the face down body of their father Fugaku, a dark pool of liquid surrounding him that seeped out from the four bullet wounds visible on his back.

            Then a little bit away from Fugaku’s body on the wolf skin rug in front of their couch are two more entangled bodies one with curly brown hair and one with long black hair being held back by a rose clip. The once gray rug is a far darker shade now. Sasuke feels a scream rise up in his throat, but shoves his fist into his mouth and bites down hard tasting dirt and iron. Beside him Itachi’s face has gone a pale sickly color and his eyes are alight with horror and rage at once.

            Carefully Itachi moves forward and grasps the shoulder of their now dead mother and turns her over. Over a dozen bullet holes fill her chest and stomach. Blood seeps from her mouth and her eyes are closed. Beneath her Marlene’s blue eyes are wide open but now lifeless were once they’d been full of overwhelming energy. Like Mikoto she is riddled with holes. From there position Itachi guesses his mother threw herself over Marlene in hopes of protecting her but to no avail.

           Mikoto’s body is cold but not cold enough to have been dead for more than an hour. Itachi releases his mother and moves back to Sasuke who is now shaking uncontrollably, tears streaming down his face. Itachi lets his soldier instincts kick in, cutting off his emotions; his focus now is to keep his brother and himself alive, nothing else.

           Inspecting the area he sees the door broken down and muddy boot prints on the floor. Whoever did this was a group of people. No doubt the other houses would be in a similar state. Itachi wanted to check the entire Uchiha complex but they don’t know if the murderers are still here or not.

           Sasuke still crying reaches forward towards their mother touching her hair. Itachi can tell his brother is going into shock, which isn’t good. Quickly he snatches Sasuke’s hand from their mother and drags him back toward the door they came from. At first Sasuke struggles against him.

          “Stop Sasuke, we need to leave. Now!” Itachi hisses at his brother in a whisper.

          “No, no we can’t.” Sasuke chokes out quietly shaking his head in disbelief.

          “Sasuke listen to me mother, father, and Marlene are dead. None of them would want you to befall the same fate so MOVE!” Itachi commands him in a harsh whisper.

          Sasuke allows Itachi to drag him from the room. Once back in the kitchen he breaks free from Itachi’s hold and instead takes a firmer grip on his weapon and takes the lead towards the door. Outside their horses are still waiting obediently. Chidori takes a deep huff and snorts, his ears flicking back as he smells something unpleasant. Itachi seeing this inhales deeply. Smoke, he can smell smoke.

           There is a sudden piercing feminine scream and the wail of a child from several houses down. Following it are the shouts of many men.

           “GRAB HER!”

           “SHOOT HER!”

            There is a loud bang and then the child’s screams become even higher pitched.

            “MOMMMMYYY! MOMMMMYY!”

            Itachi’s blood runs cold. Three more bangs ring out and the child’s cries stop. Outside Itachi looks over the roof of their house and sees a line of smoke rising. Beside him Sasuke’s face wears a look of disbelieving horror.

            Itachi grabs ahold of Sasuke and yanks him over to the horses motioning Sasuke to mount Chidori.

            Sasuke does as he signals and once in the saddle Itachi whispers to Sasuke. “We have to leave as quietly as possible. Make no noise.”

            Sasuke nods in understanding and eases Chidori into a careful walk back towards the woods from wince they came. Behind the buildings the unknown enemy is now shouting. Itachi estimates it to be at least twenty people.

           “BRING MORE WOOD!”

           “BURN IT! BURN IT!”

           “THROW THEM ON THE FIRE!”

           “FILTHY WITCHES!”

           Sasuke’s heart stops in his chest at the last words. Witches. They called them witches. At that moment in his lack of attention a small fox darts out of the brush and startles Chidori. Chidori rears up letting out a loud whiny. Sasuke immediately commands Chidori to stop but it is too late. They’ve been heard.

           “Shit! Run Sasuke!” Itachi curses and kicks his mare into a run.

           Sasuke urges Chidori into a run beside Itachi and his mount. Behind them he hears the sounds of increased shouting and the clanking of horses being mounted. Chidori runs hard beneath him and Itachi cocks his gun, before turning around to see their enemy. Sasuke likewise turns his head to view them and feels his soul wither.

           Over two dozen horses gallop around the houses their riders dressed in drab clothing all carrying guns. Sasuke doesn’t recognize half of them but from their scarred faces and their attire he can tell they’re mercenaries or soldiers for hire. Then there is the other half. The half he does recognize. The half that makes his soul quake.

          The townsfolk of Sleepy Hollow. Sasuke recognized them and their horses. Those on horses are a mix of the farmers, guards, councilmen, and young men of Sleepy Hollow. On the ground coming behind the horses are more men and even women armed with pitchforks, hoes, scythes, whatever weapons they could find. As Sasuke watches he sees one of the women toss some sort of liquid on a house and then throw a lit candle at it. The side of the house erupts in flame.

           The woman is Mitsy the seamstress’s daughter who is to be married tomorrow. The one who’s wedding Marlene was supposed to bake fruit pies for. Beside her the butcher Carlson waves a meat cleaver shouting encouragement at the horsemen.

           It all makes sense now. The councilmen excluding and avoiding his father. Some of the towns people’s whispering every time he or his mother walked by them these last few days. Doctor Hayes telling his mother to rest at home for a while. Ino’s sudden lack of interest in him when all she did before was hound him every day for a date.

           Planned. The murder of his clan was all planned. The Uchiha’s were all at home at this time of day for the midday meal and the only one away had been Itachi. Sasuke was supposed to be there as well except for one thing. Marlene. She’d had him go to Bartley. The road to Bartley is the same as the one to the Uchiha property until a certain point. When he came into town and then left they assumed he had simply gone back home, not to another town. Marlene had gone in his place back to the Uchiha’s, but she didn’t tell anyone because her family was away. So no one knew Marlene was at the Uchiha’s while Sasuke was in Bartley. And no one knew Itachi was coming home today except for Sasuke and Mikoto.

          Itachi spurs his mare into a faster pace and Sasuke follows suit. They dodge between trees, Itachi trying to think of an escape plan. He’d recognized some of the villagers too and had guessed as much as Sasuke. There is a loud pop and a bullet whizzes by Itachi’s horse’s flank. Itachi curses before taking aim with his rifle and firing at one of the horseman attempting to shoot at Sasuke. Itachi’s bullet flies true and hits the man in the left eye socket. He tumbles from his horse. The rest of the horsemen start firing off. Itachi moves his horse behind Sasuke’s hoping to shield him even a little.

          Sasuke noticing Itachi’s bold move urges Chidori on if they got far enough away maybe Itachi wouldn’t try protecting him like that. Bullets hit the foliage and tree trunks surrounding them. Each time Itachi fires his shot hits home, but reloading his gun takes time and the villagers and mercenaries are gaining on them. The next shots hit Itachi’s mare in the leg and flank. Itachi leaps from her back as she falls beneath him with a high pitched shriek.

          Sasuke halts Chidori while Itachi runs toward them. Sasuke reaches his hand out to Itachi who takes it and hauls him onto Chidori’s back before kicking him back into motion. Chidori doubles his efforts straining under the weight of two riders and running at breakneck speed.

          “Sasuke whatever you do don’t stop!” Itachi yells into his ear.

          Sasuke realizes Itachi hasn’t been firing his gun and his spare ammo would have been with his horse. They’re out of bullets. Itachi turns around on the horses back so he is now facing the pursing riders. Sasuke hears him start chanting and making hand signs. Two of the riders start screaming as their faces burst into flame. The horses under them rear and lash out hitting other riders. Itachi doesn’t stop chanting. A twenty foot long line of fire blooms up from the ground cutting their pursuers off.

          Most of them veer around it but it buys them some time. More shots are fired and they begin yelling.

          “WITCH! WITCH! HE'S A DEVIL SPAWN!”

          “KILL HIM! KILL HIM!”

          “DON'T LET THEM GET AWAY!”

           Flaming branches start falling from above onto the riders knocking them from their horses the smell of charred hair fills the air. Sasuke keeps urging Chidori to run faster his heartbeat pounding in his ears. There is a break in the trees and they are suddenly on an open plain. Chidori dashes madly for the other side and the safety of the trees there.

           Itachi is a powerful witch but commanding an element takes vast amounts of energy and he is casting as fast as he can which means he won’t be able to keep it up for long. Without being able to lay down runes or use blood sacrifices most of Itachi’s abilities are limited. Once the other horses reach the clearing Itachi starts chanting faster and Sasuke hears the swish of a blade leaving its sheath.

           The riders behind them all start screaming and Sasuke knows his brother has used some of the Uchiha’s sacred blood magic arts. Turning his head he confirms this as he sees most of the horses fall down their legs suddenly broken and many of their pursuers fall over suddenly dead from broken necks. Itachi groans in pain. Using curse magic to directly kill someone always inflicts a toll on the caster. Sasuke counts twelve men dead from Itachi’s magic.

          “Itachi stop! You’ll kill yourself if you continue!” Sasuke yells angrily at his brother.

           “I’m fine.” Itachi tells him his voice very much in pain.

           Sasuke curses. There are still four more able bodied men and their mounts pursuing them. If they can just reach the tree line they’ll have a better chance at getting away. That’s when it happens.

           Six men pop out from behind the tree trunks in front of them, all armed with rifles and taking aim. An ambush. They had a god damn ambush for anyone who escaped the Uchiha residence. Sasuke forces Chidori to rear up right as the new gunmen fire. Itachi is thrown off behind him to the ground while the bullets riddle Chidori’s underside. From behind him Sasuke hears more gunfire and feels two bullets puncture his back one straight through his spinal cord.

           All Sasuke hears is Chidori’s high pitched shrieks and Itachi’s scream of despair. Suddenly the entire meadow erupts in fire and there is more screaming and the entire world is burning. Sasuke blacks out from the pain as he and Chidori fall to the ground together.

 

 

 

         “Sasuke! Sasuke! God damn it Sasuke!”

         Sasuke blinks his eyes open to see Itachi above him hair falling loose from its clasp and caked in ash and blood. Above him Itachi is looking down at him tears streaming from one eye while the other is a shadowed socket weeping down blood. The blood splatters down onto Sasuke mixing with the tears.

         “Ita… _cough, cough_ …ch… _cough_..i” Sasuke coughs out weakly.

         Sasuke’s body hurts, his lungs are on fire and he feels light headed.

         “Sasuke! Oh God Sasuke.” Itachi wails above him. “I’m sorry, I’m sorry I couldn’t stop it.”

         “Itachi… _cough_ …its…okay.” Sasuke tells his brother.

         Each word causes him pain and breathing only makes it worse. Itachi is holding him in his lap cradling Sasuke to his chest. Sasuke very painfully turns his head to see the clearing. It’s nothing but a scorched husk of its former self. Everything is covered in black ash and where the horsemen used to be is nothing but misshapen charred mounds. A chilly wind is blowing away most of the smoke but fires still burn at the edge of the clearing.

         Sasuke tries to move to a sitting position and its then that he realizes something horrifying. He can’t feel his legs. Sasuke looks down at himself moaning in pain as he does. Blood coats his clothes and one of his legs is bent at an odd angle but he doesn’t even feel any pain from it. Laying near them is Chidori who is wheezing in painful gasps of air the life slowly leaking out of him.

         “Itachi…you have…to…leave.” Sasuke gasps out to his brother.

         “No.” Itachi replies firmly, smoothing some of Sasuke’s hair from his face.

         “Itachi!” Sasuke tries to yell but his throat closes up.

         “Sasuke, I’m not leaving you.” Itachi reaffirms and then he pauses before continuing, “Sasuke I hope one day you can forgive me for what I’m about to do. I’m sorry, you will suffer for a very long time, but I can’t let you die here. Not like this.”

          Sasuke is shocked, the way his brother is talking it’s as if. No. He wouldn’t.

         “Little brother, I love you.” Itachi tells him smiling and then he swipes his left hand across his bleeding eye and places it on the ground where a large circle with runes is drawn in blood and ash.

          The Amaterasu, their family’s forbidden witchcraft. For the Amaterasu the witchcraft of healing, blood sacrifice, and cursing are all combined to create an immortal being. The body it is performed on would be brought back even from the brink of death and preserved forever until the curse is broken. The curse part of the Amaterasu is that the body’s head would be taken and the body enslaved to obey the one who held the head. Then finally the blood sacrifice required to perform the ritual is the life of one sharing the same blood as the body the ritual is being performed on. If the witch casting the magic is powerful enough the immortal body would also gain a familiar.

           In the centuries past this ritual was used to keep specific family members alive if their time of demise came too early. However should the head fall into the wrong hands before the curse was broken untold chaos would commence. This was why the technique was forbidden. The curse was not easy to break either. The head must be restored to the body and the blood of another Uchiha spilled over it on the night of a full moon by another witch otherwise the curse would never be broken.

          While the body is inactive or not being commanded it would simply become inanimate or wander around aimlessly a headless corpse that cannot die.

          The circle glows around Itachi and Sasuke and Sasuke cries out in despair as the Amaterasu takes effect and his body is instantly healed while his head is magically severed from his neck. The last thing he sees is Chidori suddenly standing up healed of all injuries and his brother Itachi’s head snapping back as blood spews from his eyes his body engulfed in black fire.

          This was hell.


	2. Welcome to Sleepy Hollow

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here we go Chapter 2. I'm sorry to everyone for saying I might have this whole thing up in October, it just wasn't happening. I will try to keep it to 6 chapters and hopefully this whole thing will be finished by February. (Just in time for me to do a Valentines story maybe).

                                                                                    Naruto Uzumaki

          FWEEEEETTTT!!!!

          The train whistle rings out over the station; steam rising in its wake among the talking’s of new arrivals. A conductor shouts out times for the next train and people mill about with their bags or chat with other passengers they had met on the 16 hour train ride. Among them is a young man of 22 years wearing a long black coat over dark gray trousers. Brass buttons dot the front of his fully done up coat and wrapped around his neck is a glaringly bright orange scarf that circles twice around his neck and still falls to his waist. On its edges stitched in gold embroidery are little foxes.

          Above his bright scarf is even brighter spiky yellow hair which has been forcibly tamed to fit under a black cap to hide it as much as possible. Brilliant blue eyes shine from beneath the hats lowered hem. On his face six whisker like scars are visible. This man’s appearance stands out in every way from those around him. But, what makes him stand out most is the seemingly perpetual glow about him. Like a lamp in the darkness, but it is felt rather than seen.

          He kindly thanks the elderly couple standing beside him who he had shared a compartment with on the train. They had kindly offered him a portion of their lunch, made up of cucumber and ham sandwiches and regaled him with tales of their only daughter who had just had a baby. The couple is on their way to see the newborn child in Bartley.

          The woman and man hug him goodbye having enjoyed the young man’s company on the trip and were delighted that he had taken a genuine interest in their stories; even offering a small wooden toy horse that he had carved on the train ride to them for their grandchild.

          Waving the couple away the young man leaves the station large brown rectangular suitcase in hand and walks down the stone streets of the city of Ramsey. Bartley is a thirty minute carriage ride from Ramsey and while Bartley is a big city it isn’t yet big enough to have its own train station.

          Once away from the bustle of the inner city and on the quiet deserted streets of the outer city the man lets out a sigh and unbuttons his coat a bit at the top. From inside its depths an adorable little reddish orange fox head pops up.

         “Phew. I thought that train ride would never end.” The fox complains in an annoyed deep voice that doesn’t match its size.

         “Oh come now Kurama, it wasn’t that bad.” The man says stroking the fox’s head and scratching his chin.

         “Sixteen hours Naruto, and I didn’t get food like you.” Kurama complains batting at Naruto’s fingers before nipping them.

         “Since when do demons need to eat human food?” Naruto questions flicking Kurama’s nose.

         “Since sixteen hours ago.” Kurama huffs settling more snuggly against Naruto’s chest.

         “You could have turned invisible and snuck one of the sandwiches away.” Naruto tells him walking over the last bridge before the edge of the city.

         Around them no one is about in the late chilly afternoon air. The sun is already starting to set and a man is lighting lamp posts down the street behind them.

         “You know staying invisible that long is tiresome for me.” Kurama growls.

         “You’re a nine-tailed fox demon with more chakra than any other being, _how_ could _you_ possibly get tired.” Naruto scoffs.

         “Baka, you know I only have a sliver of my true power while sealed thanks to being contracted to you.” Kurama admonishes bumping his head back against Naruto.

         “Remind me again why I did that.” Naruto teases.

         “Watch it kit or I’ll drag you to the demon world for good.” Kurama threatens barring his fangs playfully.

         “Try and take me from my ramen teme. Just. Try.” Naruto challenges back.

         The two continue bickering like this as they cross the last paved roadway onto a dirt road deserted by all. The setting sun has now left the horizon and the way before them stretches into bleak darkness.

          Four weeks ago a rumor spread that a crazed mass murderer was beheading people in the little town of Sleepy Hollow. Since the spread of the strange tale, most people now avoid traveling at night even by carriage. The bravest of souls would still go at night by horseback, but no one went on foot even in the daylight. The couple Naruto had traveled with is going in the same direction as him but they are staying in the city till morning when the carriage rides to Bartley start again.

         They had asked him to accompany them out of concern when he told them his destination was Sleepy Hollow and that he intended to be there by morning. Politely he’d declined their generous offer; it wouldn’t do to get them anymore involved with him.

          Naruto could have acquaintances but he couldn’t afford to make friends on this trip. In the past he’d made that mistake and paid dearly for it. The lamp lights of Ramsey fade behind him leaving Naruto and Kurama in pitch darkness their path lit only by the stars. The locks and latches on Naruto’s suitcase clink in the dark.

         Around them four little fireballs appear glowing a pale blue.

        “Kurama, we aren’t far enough away yet.” Naruto scolds Kurama while snapping his fingers which extinguishes the fox fires. “Besides some people still travel by horseback at night.”

        “You worry too much Naruto.” Kurama complains slipping out of Naruto’s coat and perching on his shoulders nuzzling into the scarf two hues brighter than his fur.

        “Remember Camden? We were witnessed practicing magic there and barely escaped a burning at the stake.” Naruto reminds him darkly.

        “We saved those little orphans Naruto; they should have been licking your shoes in gratitude.” Kurama growls.

        “They didn’t see it that way.” Naruto replies sadly.

        “You could stop you know. Just stop helping people.” Kurama says softly.

        Every time they went to a new destination Kurama would tell him this. Trying to persuade him, and sometimes Naruto was tempted to do just that. But then he would remember the faces of the ones he did save, the ones who thanked him from the bottom of their hearts, and even the very few that had offered him a life with them.

        “You’re remembering those Hyuga brats again.” Kurama sighs.

        “That obvious?” Naruto asks smiling.

        “Honestly, fifteen year old cousins and they both propose to you. At the same time. With the _same_ god damn ring.” Kurama says shaking his head.

        “I thought it was sweet.” Naruto tells him happily.

        Neji and Hinata Hyuga had been a pair of young cousin witches he’d met 5 years ago on his travels. They’d been living in a town that was actually made up of witches and witch descendants called Konoha, the village hidden in the leaves. Naruto had stumbled upon it by accident and had been astonished at its inhabitants. For 4 months he had lived in Konoha with them getting to know the other witches and learning new techniques. Naturally he got close to several of them and even made lifelong friends.

         At the time he had been oblivious to both Neji and Hinata Hyuga’s feelings so when they both came out and proposed to him it left Naruto absolutely astounded. In turning them down Naruto had told them both he wasn’t ready to settle in one place yet and had a lot of traveling to do, and that no they could not come with him.

        To avoid any awkwardness he had left Konoha shortly after but promised to come back. Naruto had never been romantically involved with anyone before Neji and Hinata. However, since his parting from them he had been with three other people, two he had left behind with good feelings. His last love interest became a disfigured corpse thanks to the fear of humans. On that dark day Naruto vowed to never develop feelings for someone unrelated to witchcraft again.

         Karui was a beautiful dark skinned red haired woman 2 years older than Naruto. She had been fiery and beautiful. Naruto as usual had been passing through her village. They met at a ramen stand and he spilt ramen on her by accident and she hit him for it. Next thing he knew he bought her dinner and they were talking all night long. Karui had been a normal human no witch blood at all. She was a bit out there with her behavior but her family loved her all the same.

         Several weeks went by like that and he and Karui got closer and closer. Their first kiss had been at a festival. Naruto still couldn’t remember who initiated it; maybe it was both of them. A little while later Naruto confessed to Karui about being a witch. At first she was shocked, but she had been accepting of both him and Kurama.

         Then it happened. Another man in the village who had his eyes set on Karui found out about her and Naruto’s relationship. The man had been the son of a very wealthy landowner so he hired some local thugs to beat Naruto up and threaten him. Well Naruto fought back and the thugs not happy at his resistance decided to instead just kill him. Kurama in fury had intervened. What they didn’t know was that the landowner’s son was watching from a hidden corner and saw Kurama.

         The next morning several priests showed up at Karui’s house and took her. Naruto after the fight had gone to hide the bodies and ended up spending the day out in the woods wondering what his next move should be.

         Naruto went to see Karui later that night only to find her family in a panic and tears, screaming at him that it was his fault. Several of them threw things and her father even shot at him. They called him a demon, a monster. In the town square the church had hung up Karui’s body on a crucifix. A crown of thorns was around her head and she was dressed in a plain white dress covered in bloodstains from various lacerations. Her back had been whipped and her fingers and toes broken. They had tortured her trying to get a confession out of her. Then they had saved her soul by offering it up to God. Scriptures had been carved into the skin of her arms and legs and a beaded rosary placed around her neck.

        Naruto snapped when he saw her mutilated body. Kurama had been extremely fond of Karui so when Naruto lost control he did nothing to stop it. When Naruto regained his senses the town was in ruins and the bodies of the church members and anyone in the square at the time were beyond recognition. Most of the townspeople had made it out having fled screaming from their homes.

        After that Naruto moved on never staying longer than necessary in any town or city. Part of him regretted what he’d done but remembering Karui’s sad demise at their hands based on unjust assumptions made him feel his own actions were justified.

        Naruto feels his lip split and blood trickle into his mouth. He swipes his tongue over the wound and feels a fang poking down. Over a year later and he still has trouble keeping his emotions under control every time he remembers it.

       The darkness stretches on before them but Naruto has no trouble seeing. Wolves howl and owls hoot in the woods around them. Naruto listens to their calls unafraid. Nothing here would harm him. Kurama lights dozens of tiny balls of yellow fire no bigger than a dime that slowly fade in and out while twirling around them. Naruto thinks the little lights are similar to will-o-the-wisps. In summertime they are often mistaken for fireflies by others.

       “So how exactly are you infiltrating the village this time?” Kurama asks him twitching his tails.

       Kurama usually only showed 2-3 tails at a time even though he has 9 total, he claims it is just easier to deal with.

       “Are you going to use your alias again, huh Mr. Ichabod Crane?” Kurama laughs.

        Sometimes Naruto would use an alias when going to different towns and Ichabod Crane is the name he most often uses.

        “No Kurama, that shouldn’t be necessary. I had some documents forged for me by Iruka.” Naruto replies.

        Iruka is an acquaintance of Naruto’s, who is the lover of a witch that once trained with Naruto by the name of Kakashi. Iruka works as a city notary so documents are his specialty. Iruka forges all of Naruto’s documents for when he needs to enter cities for witch investigations or get into difficult places.

        When Iruka first received a document from Sleepy Hollow about a strange murder he had immediately contacted Naruto and started forging identification papers for him to take to the town of Sleepy Hollow. According to the documents Iruka had given him he would be there as a constable to look into the murders on behalf of the city and would require room and board for his stay.

        The documents with his fake identity will make it easy for Naruto to approach the townspeople for questioning and give him good reason to be out at odd hours, or have access to records he might otherwise be denied.

        Of course his true goal is to eliminate the hostile witch or witches responsible for the murders. According to Iruka the bodies had been found with their heads severed from them with no trace of the heads being found. The reports also said it was a headless horseman that did the deed. Normally such a thing would have been disregarded as a prank or tall tale except for the fact that it was the town magistrate who sent the letter and some sort of massacre had happened in the town about 45 years ago that was kept hushed up.

        So Naruto was asked to step in and do what he does best. Eliminate hostile witches that cause a bad name for other witches or remove an innocent witch in need from a hostile environment. Unfortunately with the murders involved Naruto is sure it will be the former type of witch problem.

        The night drags on as he walks forward. Kurama every so often swats his tails into the little firefly lights or nuzzles into the side of Naruto’s face. Naruto starts humming a tune to the clink of his suitcase locks.

        “Hey Naruto, it’s been about 3 hours since we left Ramsey. You planning to walk the whole way there?” Kurama asks tail smacking Naruto’s back to get his attention.

        “I’m enjoying the night air.” Naruto tells him smirking.

        “Fine do it the hard way.” Kurama huffs nipping his ear. “There really isn’t anyone out here, its okay.” Kurama reassures him quietly.

        Naruto’s fist clenches tighter around the suitcase handle before he speaks.

        “You’re sure?”

        “Yes.” Kurama promises him.

        “Fine.” Naruto says before snapping his fingers extinguishing all the lights surrounding them.

        Then he runs. Naruto runs with his body tilted forward arms out behind him. Trees race past as his feet fly over the ground barely touching it as they pass. A whirlwind of leaves is left in their wake. Kurama grabs Naruto’s hat as it flies off letting his spiky blond untamable hair loose to snap and twist in the breeze from Naruto’s inhuman speed.

         Naruto’s long orange scarf becomes a makeshift tail behind him as he races far faster than any horse could. Kurama stays easily perched on his shoulders one of his tails holding Naruto’s run away hat, his mouth open wide in a toothy grin.

        Not long after the dim watch light torches of Sleepy Hollow shine through the trees and Naruto slows his pace to a human walk. Kurama dips back into Naruto’s coat not wanting to have to turn invisible. Breaking through the trees the first thing Naruto sees are sheep, lots of sheep and a stone wall along a path leading into town. Farmland lines both sides of the well-trodden dirt road.

        Kurama pops his head back out and takes a deep whiff of air, a frown marking his features while a growl rumbles low in his throat.

        “There’s lingering magic here from a Sharingan user, decades old by the smell. But I can’t sense anything witch related from the town. Something is blocking me which means were looking at a Hokage user or two.” Kurama reports unhappily.

         Kurama could sense other witches even from a far distance like the outskirts of a town. However this ability could be blocked by placing a barrier created by enchanted objects lain in a circle around a location. If Kurama is already being blocked then it means the barrier is around the entire village. It also means their mystery witch is prepared for intruders. The only way to break the barrier is to locate at least one of the enchanted markers and destroy it. Doing that is near impossible since it could be anything from a leaf or pebble to the bones of an animal or the husk of a caterpillar cocoon. It also didn’t have to be above ground.

         The only good thing about the barrier is that it identifies the witch as a Hokage. There are three types of witches in the world. Two are hereditary and achieved through abilities passed down in a bloodline, the third type doesn’t rely on bloodlines at all but knowledge. The first is a Sharingan witch. They for the most part have abilities related to healing, cursing, and blood magic and are inherited. Some of the stronger Sharingan bloodlines also have affinities with an element. The Hyuga’s are Sharingan witches, possessing both excellent healing abilities and minor cursing abilities, their true power lies in their blood magic which is less taxing than any other Sharingan witch lineage and could be used at will with no sacrifice of their own flesh.

         The second type of witch is a Hokage, whose abilities lie in cursing, sealing, and healing. They are often mistaken for medicine men and woman or shamans. All of their magic is learned from books or chants passed on by word of mouth. Anyone could become a Hokage in theory but according to Kurama many humans just do not have a knack for magic. So two people could read a magic spell but it would only work for one because they had talent in magic while the other didn’t. It is like fishing or playing an instrument you could get better with practice but no matter how much you practice someone with talent will always succeed faster and better than someone without talent.

         Hokage’s are able to practice magic by researching it and using tools to draw out the magical energy in objects. Take the barrier around Sleepy Hollow for instance. It isn’t the witches power in the markers but rather a symbol carved in the markers that draws in the energy from the nature around it to make the barrier. A Sharingan user could curse someone by just muttering a word or shifting their hands into specific movements. A Hokage would have to have a piece of the person’s flesh to offer up in a ritual where they would burn herbs and sometimes sacrifice live animals to increase the effect.

         Then there is the last and most rare of all the witch types. Jinchurriki. Like Sharingan witches Jinchurriki witches obtain their powers through bloodlines, with several key differences. Jinchurriki witches can sire only one child. So if the Jinchurriki witch dies without having an heir first so does the entire bloodline. The reason for this is because of all the witches Jinchurriki are the most powerful and they are also the only ones that can contract demons from another dimension. On top of that they have an affinity with all elements and sealing abilities with the same relationship to a Hokage’s sealing abilities that the Sharingan have with them through their cursing and healing abilities.

         Naruto is a Jinchurriki witch. By Kurama’s count he is one of less than a thousand left in the world. Kushina, Naruto’s mother, had been a Jinchurriki as well while his father Minato was a Hokage. Naruto’s own child, should he have one, would likewise be a Jinchurriki.

         In Naruto’s lifetime he had met two other Jinchurriki’s by the names of Killer Bee and Gaara Subaku. He’d liked both of them a great deal. Gaara contracted with a one-tailed raccoon demon while Killer Bee contracted an eight tailed bull-octopus creature. Both like Naruto had suffered persecution and great sadness in the past. Gaara actually has two half siblings from his non-Jinchurriki parent both of which are Hokages. Killer Bee has an adopted brother who is actually his cousin, likewise a Hokage.

         Closest thing Naruto has left for family are an older Hokage couple that took him in off the street two years after the death of his parents. Tsunade and Jiraiya hadn’t been happy when Naruto decided to travel on his own to seek out other witches, but in the end they couldn’t stop him even if they wanted to.

         The sheep look up as Naruto passes and he pets a few of them. Animals have always liked Naruto and his bond with Kurama seemed to make their liking of him even stronger. Naruto sees a watchtower like structure with torches staked around it. Sharp spears protrude from its base for added protection. Many rural towns have these types of structures because of the wolves and other wildlife that lurk in the surrounding woodlands. Naruto can see someone inside the window with a cocked gun but from where he had entered is in the man’s blind spot so he wouldn’t have seen him come through.

         Naruto just continues on his way. If anyone asks he would tell them that his carriage driver dropped him at the tree line of Sleepy Hollow and raced away scared of the rumors. The dirt road wound around and past several little farmhouses and their pastures full of sheep. A couple of dogs bark in greeting as he passes but remain quite after that. Fog is already creeping up as he walks over a creaking covered bridge into the heart of the town.

        According to the documents Naruto carries he is to stay with the Haruno’s during his time in Sleepy Hollow. Several of the houses he passes are unlit and from further down the way he can hear music playing at one of the bigger houses whose windows are all well-lit. Naruto decides that is as good a place as any to ask for information so he heads towards the warm glowing lights.

        The music blares out from inside and the front door is wide open inviting people in despite the evening chill. A couple is fondling each other in the dark beside the door, but Naruto ignores them, not his business after all. Inside dozens of people are gathered for what he guesses to be a party. Women are dressed in long puffy skirts and the gentlemen are wearing clean waistcoats and trousers. Many of them hold plates with food and are chatting in separate little groups.

        There are no children there Naruto notices. He follows the charming sound of music towards the center of the room. It’s coming from three string instrument players who are near a circle of young men moving around a single teenage girl with pink hair in the center who is blindfolded. They are laughing and chuckling and teasing as she turns round and round with outstretched arms trying to catch their dodging figures.

        As the girl moves she sings, “The pickety witch, the pickety witch. Whose going to get a kiss from the pickety witch?”

        Naruto scans the area past the mobile group and sees a particularly wealthy group of gentlemen who he assumes by their embellished garments are either who he is looking for or can point him in the right direction. Naruto starts to slip around the line of moving young men only to be shoved forward into their ranks from behind. He smacks shoulders with two of the other men and is pushed within reach of the girls arms. He barely gets out a “Pardon me.” Before the girl claps her hands to both sides of his face.

        “Is it Kiba?” She asks still blindfolded.

        “No, I’m but a stranger.” Naruto informs her trying to pull his face free.

        The girl has an unusually strong grasp.

         “Mmn, well have a kiss then.” She replies and leans in and kisses Naruto’s cheek.

         Naruto is surprised as her soft lips press to his cheek and he can already hear Kurama’s teasing in the back of his mind.

        Finished with her kiss the girl reaches up and removes her blindfold reveling light pale green eyes that stand out all the more against her pink hair.

        “Oh. You are a stranger then.” She says surprised, having assumed he was joking.

        “Yes, and I am looking for the Haruno residence.” Naruto tells her hearing mutterings behind him.

        “This is the Haruno estate, and I am Sakura Haruno.” The girl introduces herself with a slight curtsy.

        “Good evening Ms. Haruno. My name is Naruto Uzumaki and I need to speak to Kizashi Haruno.” Naruto replies with a polite bow of his own.

        “Of course, Kizashi Haruno is my father, follow me.” She tells him picking up the hem of her bright blue dress with white lace trim.

        Sakura leads him through the surrounding people over to the group of older gentlemen he had picked out before. She stops before them and interrupts them with a polite curtsy.

       “Father, there is a Mr. Naruto Uzumaki here to see you.” She tells the man in the middle with a maroon waistcoat, strange spiked dull pink hair, and a gold pocket watch hanging from a chain that he is currently holding in his hand.

        “Good evening gentlemen, I am Constable Naruto Uzumaki and I am here to investigate the string of incidents that have recently occurred here in Sleepy Hollow.” Naruto tells the men with another polite greeting bow.

        Naruto never liked the boorish mannerisms of the wealthier class but to blend in he had learned it. Whereas when he was with Killer Bee they greeted each other with a very unorthodox handshake and sometimes even an arm wrestling match.

        “Ah Mr. Uzumaki I am glad you have come. Please let us retire to a separate room.” Mr. Haruno tells him ushering him to a nearby doorway.

        On their way he stops and introduces Naruto to his wife Mebuki who is chatting with a pregnant woman. Through the doorway is a short hallway with several wooden doors. They enter the last door and Naruto, Mr. Haruno, and the other three gentlemen enter into a study full of books, chairs, papers, writing utensils, and knick knacks. Mr. Haruno motions him to a chair while he pours a drink for himself and his compatriots. Naruto puts his suitcase and hat down and refuses the glass offered him. Alcohol had never appealed to him.

        “So tell me Mr. Uzumaki, what exactly were you told about the murders in Sleepy Hollow?” Mr. Haruno asks taking a swig of his drink.

        “There have been three victims so far, all have had their heads chopped off by an unknown murderer. Is this correct?” Naruto questions folding his hands into his lap.

        “Yes. Their heads were not found by the bodies, instead they were taken. Also we know who the murderer is.” Mr. Haruno replies.

        “Oh?” Naruto asks surprised, “Who is it?”

        There is an uncomfortable pause in the room before Mr. Haruno answers, “The Headless Horseman.”

        Naruto lets out a sigh as he brings his hands up to rest his chin on while his elbows sit on his knees. Slowly he turns his blue eyes on each gentleman in turn. These people are keeping secrets.

        “And does this Headless Horseman have another name?” Naruto prods.

        With his question all four men shuffle uneasily and the one he knows to be the town notary visibly shakes.

        “Yes…yes he does.” Mr. Haruno begins as he refills his drink, “Decades ago there was a prosperous family that lived near Sleepy Hollow by the name of Uchiha. They all had black hair, black eyes, pale white skin and were incredibly beautiful. They were a very close knit family that rarely had dealings with Sleepy Hollow besides crop trading. However one of the Uchiha’s called Mikoto became more involved with the village, even becoming the town doctor’s assistant. During that time a strange sickness came upon Sleepy Hollow that wiped out half the village’s population. The children were claimed first by it, very few survived. While this illness spread a townsman witnessed Mikoto Uchiha cursing a vial of medicine that she then gave to a child. The child grew worse and died the next day.”

        Naruto clenches the armrest of his chair. From what he could tell the Uchiha’s were exhibiting traits of Sharingan withes by living secluded from others, and the fact they all looked so similar meant possible intermarriage in order to protect themselves from family secrets leaking out.

        “The townsman went to the council and they gathered evidence of Mikoto being a witch. She used strange symbols, and several of the townspeople had often heard her talking to herself in a strange language. This and several other coincidences added up to the fact she was a witch. The townspeople not wanting her and her families presence in the village sought to exile the Uchiha’s as was custom for dealing with a witch. They gathered there forces and went to the Uchiha estate to inform them of this only to be attacked upon arrival. As luck would have it there had been a group of passing mercenaries that went with the townspeople. They fought back the Uchiha’s.”

         Mr. Haruno takes a drink before continuing.

         “As suspected several of the Uchiha’s were witches. They cursed many villagers to death. Though the biggest threat came from Mikoto’s grown children who tried to escape by leaving behind their family. The two of them fled into the surrounding woods on horseback. The townspeople and mercenaries pursed them only to be slaughtered by their cursing magic. The witches were finally cornered in a field were the townspeople filled them with lead and ended their murderous chanting. However one of the witches cast some sort of spell that killed everyone left in the clearing except for one man who managed to get away with severe burns to warn his remaining comrades.”

        Naruto stares at Mr. Haruno taking in his words and trying to fit the puzzle pieces of the story together. It has far too many gaps.

        “When the other townsfolk reached the clearing they found only one body whose head was severed from his neck. All around his corpse was nothing but black scorch marks. They took the body and buried it by an old dead oak tree. The rest of the Uchiha bodies were burned along with their witchcraft belongings.”

        Mr. Haruno trailed into silence after that. Instead one of the other men spoke up named Mr. Cardan who was the town magistrate.

       “It’s him Mr. Uzumaki. The Headless Horseman is the Uchiha witch from the clearing. He has come to claim the heads of the living in retaliation for being killed.” Mr. Cardan says fearfully pulling at his white wig.

        Wrong. Witches don’t come back from the dead for revenge; no they curse objects and leave them behind even after they have died. This is something Naruto has never heard of.

        “And what about now?” Naruto asks.

        “Excuse me?” Mr. Haruno answers.

        “How do you deal with witches now? Do you still exile them or burn them at the stake?” Naruto asks his face a mask of stone.

        All four men look confused and then look at each other before one answers.

        “There hasn’t been a witch in Sleepy Hollow since then so we have not had to deal with such a thing.”

         Well obviously that was a load of bullshit otherwise there wouldn’t be a mile wide barrier around the whole damned town.

         “In the morning I want a tour of Sleepy Hollow and all the places where the bodies were found. I also want to speak to any witnesses from the murders or anyone close to the victims. Is this understood?” Naruto tells them in his best authority voice.

         The men look a little uneasy but agree.

         After that Mr. Haruno calls for his house servant Sarah who takes Naruto to an upstairs room where he is to stay. The room is sparsely furnished with a corner bed, desk and chair, and a dresser for his things. Naruto packs away his clothes into the drawers and then undresses. Kurama jumps out of his coat as he unbuttons it onto the bed where he claims the feather stuffed pillow. Naruto lays his coat on the chair and removes his boots and socks feeling the cold chilly wood floor under his bare feet.

         Next he strips his trousers leaving on his short breeches. His shirt comes next. Covering the entirety of his stomach is a circular black tattoo with strange ruins and markings. Naruto quickly pulls a gray nightshirt from the dresser drawer and pulls it on hiding the large marking.

        Once done he turns to the little fox demon smacking his pillow into a comfortable shape with his two orange tails.

       “Naruto I can’t sense anything thanks to this stupid barrier.” Kurama complains.

       “Surely you can sense something.” Naruto reasons sitting on the bed and snatching away the pillow.

       “You know what I mean. I can sense things close by like in this house right now, but if the headless horseman was in the neighbors house right now, I’d never know it.” Kurama growls jumping onto Naruto’s shoulder and nipping his ear in retaliation for stealing the pillow.

       “Ouch! Hey.” Naruto complains smacking Kurama with the pillow.

       The two tousle around for a while like that until they both just collapse on the bed the pillow a little worse for wear.

       “We’ll be okay Kurama. Even if you can’t sense things, if he is collecting heads then he has to get close to his targets.” Naruto says.

       “This is way more risky than I like Naruto.” Kurama whispers.

       “I know.” Naruto replies.

       “We won’t be able to stop him from killing people like this Naruto.” Kurama continues.

       “I know.” Naruto replies yet again snuggling into his pillow.

       “These townspeople are lying and I don’t like them.” Kurama still continues shoving himself into Naruto’s arms.

        “I know.” Naruto says again stroking Kurama’s fur.

        “You’re a fool Naruto. A soft hearted fool.” Kurama murmurs snuggling his muzzle into his tails.

        “Is that so.” Naruto whispers to the ceiling.

         As he closes his eyes he sees flames crackling around a wooden crucifix where a red headed woman hangs. In his head he hears Mr. Haruno’s words, _The rest of the Uchiha bodies were burned along with their witchcraft belongings._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This story will update irregularly. If you haven't noticed the chapters are fairly long and it takes me a while to write all this down, plus my editor is very busy with school and her job right now. Anyway thanks for reading! :)


	3. New Companion

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well here is chapter three, three more to go. I will try to have the next chapter up in the next few months.

            Naruto awakes before the crack of dawn his blue eyes opening to the darkness of the room’s ceiling. On his stomach Kurama is breathing gently still asleep. His ear twitches but other than that he gives no sign of being disturbed. Naruto strokes his orange body softly before gently sliding his hands under the little fox and lifting him up to cradle against his chest letting the blanket fall away from him. Gracefully Naruto slides out of bed and places Kurama onto his pillow smoothing down his fur and fluffing the pillow around him. Kurama gives out a contented sigh and curls deeper into his tails.

            Naruto smiles down at Kurama, the foul-mouthed little demon looks so pure and sweet while asleep. Turning from the bed Naruto goes over to the window and peeks out. The sun has yet to grace the sky with its rays and the nightly lit street lanterns have almost all died out. A thick fog surrounds everything, but it will dissipate in a few hours.

            Naruto pads barefoot across the cold wood floors to a corner where a chamber pot rests. After relieving himself he moves to the middle of the room and begins his morning routine exercises. Three hundred pushups, three hundred sit ups, twenty minutes in a hand stand, followed by some stretching and meditation. Naruto may be a Jinchūriki but that is no excuse for not being physically strong and agile. Besides there are rare cases where a witch’s powers could be sealed, and in a situation like that Naruto would need every advantage he could get.

            By the time Naruto is done the first signs of dawn are visible through the window. Now dripping with sweat Naruto looks for a small dish and pulls out a rag from the dresser drawer. A ceramic pan is on the desk. No doubt the servant girl Sarah would fill it with hot water for him if he asks, but Naruto doesn’t want to disturb her. Servants have it hard and she would have been up even earlier than Naruto already preparing breakfast, stoking the fires, and beginning the day’s laundry.

            Naruto approaches the bowl and lays the rag down beside it. Placing his hands together palms flat he breathes in then channels his chakra; expertly he reaches out and connects with the chakra of the water element. Chakra is the special energy source that humans and most witches refer to as witchcraft. According to Kurama the “magic” witches use is actually just energy similar to demonic power and the energy found in all nature. Naturally Jinchūriki have vast amounts of it while Sharingans and Hokages do not. The elements of nature are drawn to those with large amounts of chakra, and the larger the chakra the more an affinity a witch will have with the elements.

            As Naruto’s chakra taps into the water element he feels a rush of coolness and for a split second his body feels like it’s submerged in a clear pool of water. Naruto slides his hands apart and between them a floating mass of water grows from nothing. He moves his hands over the bowl and lets it drop. The water splashes down into the bowl filling it to the brim with sparkling clear water. Naruto then snaps his fingers chakra connecting with the fire element which warms his whole body.

             The bowl in front of him starts to steam as the water instantly heats and bubbles. Naruto removes his shirt, takes his rag and dips it into the bowl of hot water and starts wiping himself down. Once done he tosses the water out the window to splash on the pavement below. In the big cities you often had to be careful walking under windows because it isn’t just dirty water that is thrown out of them.

            Naruto refills the bowl and heats it in the same manner. Then tapping the bowl three times he takes control of the water and moves it all to his hair where it swirls in a mini tornado pulling the dirt, grime, and sweat from his golden hair. Once clean he motions the water back into the bowl and again tosses it out the window. Naruto actually really enjoys bathing with water and manipulating it over his whole body but washing his hair like that was already risky enough.

            Done bathing Naruto pulls clean underwear, trousers and a long-sleeved wool shirt from the dresser and quickly dresses. After pulling on socks he laces up his boots. A slim blue crystal on a leather cord slips out of his shirt, the two silver beads on either side clinking against the blue crystal. Naruto delicately takes the necklace and hides it back under his shirt. The necklace had been a parting gift from his adoptive grandmother Tsunade. As a Hokage she had enchanted the necklace so that it serves as protection charm.

            Lastly, he slides on his warm knee length black coat and fastens all but the top three buttons shut. Clean and dressed he turns his attention to the now snoring belly up fox demon with one back leg stuck straight up in the air and both his front paws tucked close to his chest, while the rest of his body is contorted in the letter S.

            Naruto softly chuckles to himself before sitting on the bed and tickling the exposed orange belly with the same marking as his own. Kurama bats him away with his tails as his slitted red eyes peek open.

            “Rise and shine partner.” Naruto croons at him gently flicking his nose.

            Kurama nips at his finger and rolls over yawning loudly.

            “Foxes need their beauty sleep you know.” Kurama complains stretching out like a contented cat.

            “Good thing you’re not a real fox.” Naruto grins scooping him up and shoving him into his coat doing up the remaining buttons as Kurama takes his usual place.

            Naruto then opens the door and makes his way to the kitchen following the aroma of food being made. The kitchen is moderately big. A fire is going and a large pot hangs above it simmering. Leftover scraps of vegetables are already moved to one side of a table and a fresh baked loaf of bread is steaming near them with a block of yellow cheese next to it. Naruto peeks into the stew and uses a spoon he finds in one of the drawers to sample it.

            Deeming it done enough for his tastes he ladles some into a bowl and cuts off a hunk of bread and cheese. He sits on a stool by the table and begins eating. Every third bite of soup he holds towards his cloak for a fox tongue to slurp up. After the soup he tears into the bread and cheese and passes some inside his coat into waiting paws.

            He is already done eating and just finishes washing his bowl out when the servant girl Sarah comes in her apron laden with herbs and flowers from the garden.

            “Aah! Mr. Uzumaki!” She exclaims startled as her eyes catch him wiping dry his bowl and spoon. “Forgive me I didn’t expect you to be awake yet.” She apologizes fretfully.

            “No worries, the soup is good by the way.” Naruto compliments her putting his bowl back in the cupboards where he found it.

            “Thank you. I had intended to bring breakfast to you at a more reasonable hour.” She says dumping her load on the table.

            “That won’t ever be necessary; I am more than willing to fetch my own food. Besides I am a guest of this house not a resident so there is no need for you to treat me as anything other than another servant minus my doing the chores.” Naruto tells her.

            Hopefully this would keep her from unintentionally stumbling in upon an unnatural event in the future.

            “I’m afraid I must insist on at least cleaning your clothes and emptying your chamber pot Mr. Uzumaki or the madam will have my head.” Sarah tells him seriously moving a dirt streaked brown strand of hair behind her ear.

            Naruto knows better than to argue with a woman about how to do her job so he concedes to her demands and her offer of a cup of tea. Naruto sips his tea as Sarah prepares three breakfast trays for her charges. She tells him many things as she works.

            The lord and madam share separate rooms and each demand breakfast in bed every morning. Their daughter the pink haired girl from last night named Sakura only has breakfast brought to her in the morning on colder days because she hates the chilly morning air. Other than that Sakura usually takes her breakfast in the reading room. Sarah answers all the basic questions Naruto asks like how long she had served the family and who some of the guests were the night before.

            According to Sarah the lord and lady had been throwing parties every night since the third headless horseman murder in order to help keep the townspeople calm and also because the murders never happened in crowded places. So, they were both soothing the scared people and protecting themselves.

            She also told him all the murders so far had taken place at night; never in the day so most villagers thought so long as the sun shined they are safe. Naruto doesn’t believe that but keeps it to himself. Most likely it is just easier for the witch to do their magic at night when few people notice anything out of the ordinary.

            When Sarah takes the trays to her charges Naruto slips out of the house and onto the roads of Sleepy Hollow. Fog still lingers in the air but the sun is doing its best to chase it away. Naruto takes a deep breath in, letting the chilly air fill his lungs. Leisurely he starts walking towards the only white building with a cross on top of it, noting the location of the different buildings he passes. There is a blacksmiths shop that smells of melting metal, a bakery with the aroma of fresh bread drifting out of a cracked window, and small building that smells heavily of ink and parchment which must be the notaries office.

            Naruto wrinkles his nose at the next building he passes which is bigger than the rest and smells like chemicals. This would be the doctor’s office and it probably doubles as a morgue at times. There is no clothing shop which means all their clothes are either made or bought from nearby cities. Sakura’s dress last night had looked handmade but with skilled needlework.

            Sarah had told him the mill where they grind their flower is located outside of town up on a hill. She also told him if he needs a horse one of the locals would be more than willing to lend him one. Naruto has ridden horseback many times but he still prefers walking himself. Besides he is faster than a horse anyway.

            Naruto walks up to the church fence but doesn’t go inside, just turns around and stares at the town of Sleepy Hollow while resting a hand on the picket fence. Smoke rises out of several of the chimneys and some of the townsfolk are starting to come out of their houses. Naruto just stands there watching them. They don’t look like people who would string someone up and burn them at the stake, but looks have never mattered when it comes to the brutality of human nature.

            Kurama stirs inside his coat but doesn’t poke his head out.

            “Naruto quit day dreaming and get started.” Kurama complains from inside his coat.

            “I’m not day-dreaming, I’m thinking.” Naruto rebukes him.

            “Same thing for you. Now let’s go interrogate people.” Kurama replies poking his chest with a claw.

            “We need to talk to Mr. Haruno first and find out some more information. And you need to be quite for a while you know.” Naruto chides him rubbing at his coat which ruffles Kurama’s fur.

            “Fine.” Kurama huffs grumpily and wraps his tails more firmly around Naruto’s chest inside his coat.

            Naruto walks back to the Haruno residence nodding his head at the townspeople he passes. Some greet him in reply, others just stare and then whisper as he passes by.

            “I hear he is the constable come to look into the murders.”

            “Do you think he can help us?”

            “He’s too young, probably doesn’t know anything.”

            “I hear the cities are beginning to use something called sciences, perhaps he can fix this.”

            “Hogwash, he will probably run back to the city and never set foot out of it again, mark my words.”

            Naruto just continues on his way; they can whisper all they want it doesn’t matter.

            Arriving back at the Haruno house Naruto enters hearing Sakura talking to her father from a nearby doorway. Naruto follows the voices to the half open door to what looks like a reading room where both father and daughter are standing dressed for the day with worried looks on their faces.

            “Sarah said he was in the kitchen not long ago, perhaps he has gone to see the town.” Sakura tells her father placing a reassuring hand on his arm.

            “We should really find him though-” Mr. Haruno starts to tell his daughter only to stop as Naruto taps twice on the door before entering.

            “Good morning Mr. Haruno, Sakura. I am sorry to have been absent, but I thought it best to take a brief tour of town.” Naruto tells them coming to stand a few arms lengths from the pair.

            “Ahh, yes sorry. I did not realize you were such an early riser Mr. Uzumaki.” Mr. Haruno tells him the worry leaving his face. “Now that you are back I will introduce you to Killian, he will get you set up with a horse and take you to the sites of the murdered bodies as you requested.”

            “That is most appreciated.” Naruto replies.

            Sakura gives him a small smile and takes her leave of the room while Naruto and Mr. Haruno head out to meet the man Killian. It turns out Killian is at the bakery picking up fresh bread for his family. Mr. Haruno introduces them and then leaves Naruto in Killian’s hands. Naruto likes Killian. He smiles openly and genuinely at Naruto without any prejudice, which is rare for a person at a first meeting.

            They head back to Killian’s house where Killian drops off the bread to his sweet wife and young boy child. His wife is apparently the local midwife and a bit of an herbalist. If not for her duties to her child she would have been the doctor’s assistant. Naruto watches Killian happily kiss his son and wife goodbye. The scene reminds him of his own family many years ago.

            Killian takes him to the stable near the house and asks him about his experiences with horses. Naruto admits it’s not a lot but enough for him to ride.  Killian pulls out a stout pale gray horse with white speckling and long dark hair.

            “This is Gunpowder; he’s a good stead so nothing to worry about there.” Killian tells Naruto handing him the reins.

            The horse Gunpowder leans forward to nuzzle at Naruto’s shoulder and he strokes his face and neck letting the horse breath in his scent and familiarize himself.

            “He’ll do just fine.” Naruto tells Killian.

            At that moment a gunshot goes off followed by a man yelling out by the edge of the woods.

            “Murder! The horseman has killed again! Murder!”

            “Get on.” Killian orders him turning to his own horse and mounting.

            Naruto obliges and soon they are galloping towards the wood line.

            It takes a few minutes riding through the trees before they come upon a group of horses and dismounted men all gathered around a body on the ground.

            “Make way please.” Naruto says sliding off Gunpowder.

            The group moves to one side allowing Naruto through.

            “Who is it?” Naruto asks falling to his knees near the neck.

            “Johnathan Masbeth. He was the night watchman last night. We found him not long ago. His gun was fired but to no avail. As you can clearly see the horseman killed him.” One of the men tells him wringing his hands together.

            All the other men gathered share the same looks of despair and fear.

            “Did you move the body?” Naruto questions reaching down into his pocket and pulling out a metal pair of tweezers.

            “Yes.” One man replies.

            Naruto turns and fixes him with a glare before addressing everyone in a low clear voice.

            “You must never move the body. By moving the body, you will have possibly ruined evidence as to the murderer and how the person was killed.”

            “What do you mean?” The man asks defensively.

            “By moving the body you could have muddled tracks, buried small traces of powder or poison, smeared evidence of blood or faint ash. The area around the murdered is just as important as the murdered for finding out who and how one was murdered.” Naruto lectures them.

            “But we know who murdered him!” The man protests.

            Naruto glares at the man. “Not all murders are committed by supernatural horsemen, remember that.” He replies coldly.

            The man’s face goes pale and Naruto turns his attention back to the body. Indeed, it is an adult male, mid-thirties he guesses. His hands are rough and calloused. There is dirt under his fingernails and on his knees, so Naruto assumes he tripped during his flight from danger. There are no other lacerations or torn clothing. The only thing wrong with the body is the missing head.

            So, the headless horseman’s objective really was the head. Naruto peers at the neck moving his tweezers over the wound. He begins to talk to his audience.

            “It’s a clean cut to the neck, no hesitation and the blade was very sharp. The wound has even been cartelized. See burned flesh and no trace of blood. Almost as if the weapon itself was burning white hot as it severed the neck.” He tells the gathered men probing at the burned flesh.

Naruto knows for a fact the watchman was alive when he arrived a few hours after dark, which means this happened late at night to the very wee hours of morning.

            Naruto inhales deeply but all he smells is burned flesh and a strange scent of steel unlike one he’s smelled before. This was not a regular sword then. Naruto leaves the body and instead looks at the tracks. Just as he feared they are heavy, a mounted horse, large for its size. Naruto follows the footprints but they quickly disappear leaving no further tracks which is odd.

            “Who all has been here?” Naruto asks the men.

            “What do you mean?” One man inquires.

            “Has anyone else been here that you know of besides those standing here right now?” Naruto asks again his patience growing thin.

            These townspeople are not making this easy on him.

            “No one but us, the town doctor will be here shortly though.” The man replies scratching at his head.

            Naruto holds back a groan. Of course, it wouldn’t be that easy. The headless horseman can’t have just disappeared like an apparition or he wouldn’t have bothered chasing Johnathan Masbeth down all the way from the watch tower. No, the Headless Horseman is coming from a source and someone has gone to great pains to hide his tracks back to those origins, including his scent.

            This rouge witch is very clever. Naruto grinds his teeth; this could be very bad indeed.

            Naruto left with Killian leaving the body to the men and the doctor that shows up. When they get back to town Naruto informs the Haruno’s of the morning’s events and asks Mr. Haruno about the other victims in detail. One was a very wealthy landowner that used to be Mr. Haruno’s employer and his employer’s son. They were the first two victims. The third was a seemingly unrelated widow woman.

            Now the fourth victim the night watchman Johnathan Masbeth who also used to work for the wealthy land owner right before the man was killed a few weeks ago. So far three victims share a connection with one outlier.

            “Can you think of anything else that connects the victims. Like a relative’s grudge or affair?” Naruto asks Mr. Haruno and his daughter who is refilling her father’s teacup.

            The first two victims were related and since the fourth victim worked for them, he could assume it was a personal grudge.          

            “Everyone in Sleepy Hollow is connected by either blood or marriage Mr. Uzumaki.” Sakura tells him reaching out for his teacup to refill. “For instance, the good doctor is my mother’s brother and his son my cousin.”

            That makes since in such a small town were new blood is uncommon, of course everyone would have ties to someone.

            There is a knock on the door and a few seconds later Sarah comes in and informs them that the funeral for Johnathan Masbeth is taking place. Sakura and Mr. Haruno hurry upstairs and put on their mourning clothes, Mrs. Haruno also comes down dressed in black. Together they all leave for the small-town graveyard were those that knew the victim are already gathered.

            The service is short, the gravediggers bury the body as fast as possible and they all pray together. Most begin leaving while some others wish condolences to Johnathan Masbeth’s surviving son.  A couple women beside Naruto begin talking in hushed whispers but Naruto picks it up.

            “Poor boy, his father was all he had.”

            “Who do you think will take him in?”

            “He has no relations left in Sleepy Hollow and he is 14, perhaps he can apprentice somewhere, not many could afford to take him in.”

            “The boy is obedient but he is to quiet.”

            Naruto moves away from the women closer to the grave. Indeed, there is a young boy with pitch black short hair standing by himself shoulders hunched by the grave staring sadly down into it. An orphan, just like me Naruto thinks.

            No not like him, he reminds himself. This boy is normal not a monster to others.

            _Smack_. Naruto is surprised by Kurama’s tail hitting him under his clothes. They are still surrounded by people so Naruto moves over to the side where he isn’t so well noticed.

            “What Kurama?” He whispers.

            “That boy is a witch Naruto, its faint but I can feel the power of a strong bloodline in him. My guess is his grandmother or grandfather was a witch.” Kurama whispers back to him.

            The boy is a witch?

            “Then what about-“

            “The father was human, no witch blood.” Kurama assures him.

            This changes everything Naruto thinks straightening his jacket and walking towards the boy.

            Before he can reach the lonely boy, a man’s hand grips his shoulder. Naruto turns to look at the one who dares to stop him from reaching his target. If he isn’t mistaken it is the town magistrate.

            “Constable Uzumaki I think it best you know Johnathan Masbeth is not the fourth victim but the fifth.” The magistrate tells him in a whisper taking off his wig and wringing it for a second.

            “The fifth.” Naruto repeats confused.

            “That’s all I will say good day.” The magistrate says quickly replacing his wig and walking away.

            Naruto growls low in his throat. How is he to help these people if all they did is keep secrets from him. Kurama nudges his chest reminding him he has a more pressing matter than human honesty.

            All of the other mourners have taken their leave slowly walking down the hill leaving Naruto and the grieving boy alone.

            “Kurama, raise a barrier.” Naruto instructs.

            Kurama’s barriers would insure they aren’t overheard by unwanted listeners.

            “Young Masbeth.” Naruto addresses the boy, “I would like to offer my condolences for your loss.” He says softly and genuinely.

            The boy turns to face Naruto revealing a pale face under short ink black hair with even blacker eyes. Tear tracks are evident on the boy’s face but they have dried in the chilly wind. The boy doesn’t appear overwhelmingly sad just lost, his world is gone and now he has nothing and no one. Naruto had had that same expression on his face before Tsunade and Jiraya took him in.

            “Thank you Constable Uzumaki.” The boy says in a hollow voice.

            Naruto takes note of the sudden determination that crosses over the boy’s face before he next speaks.

            “My name is Sai Masbeth and I hear you are trying to solve these murders.” Sai suddenly gives a bow of servitude, “Please sir I am at your service, whatever you need of me I will gladly give.”

            So that was the boy’s angle. He no longer has anything but he can at least help catch the one responsible for his father’s murder.

            “Sai can I ask you something unusual?” Naruto questions.

            The next few seconds would decide the boy’s fate whether he knew it or not.

            “Please sir ask away.” Sai assures him looking into his eyes.

            “Sai do you know you are a witch?” Naruto asks watching the boy closely.

            The only thing that gives the boy away is a slight tensing of his shoulders, barely discernible even if one was watching for it. He is used to hiding it then.

            “Sir I am afraid I don’t know what you mean.” Sai says giving Naruto the most fake smile he has ever seen.

            Naruto holds out his hand and snaps his finger, instantly the world warps around them for a second almost like its folding in on itself before returning to normal with one key difference. Kurama had already put up a sound barrier, Naruto had just enhanced it to have a cloaking mechanism too. Now anyone that looked at the hill would simply see them standing there talking no matter what happened inside the barrier. Naruto could strip naked and dance ballet and all anyone would still see is him and Sai casually talking.

            “Phew freedom.” Kurama says popping out of Naruto’s cloak front.

            Sai jumps back in surprise almost falling down.

            “Kurama don’t frighten the boy.” Naruto scolds the Kyuubi as he slinks from Naruto’s clothes to drape himself and his two tails comfortably around Naruto’s shoulders.

            “Kids fine, geez you’re already going into mother hen mode.” Kurama teases him.

            Naruto just flicks Kurama’s ear before smiling at Sai.

            “What is that?” Sai asks not coming any closer his eyebrows arched in curiosity.

            “This is Kurama, my demonic traveling companion.” Naruto tells him.

            “That’s Kurama-sama to you kid.” Kurama corrects with a tail slap to Naruto.

            “Demon?” Sai questions reaching forward to touch Kurama’s tails.

            “So you’re not scared.” Naruto states.

            Sai flinches caught off guard. Normal people run in fear of strange creatures not try to touch them, especially when the said creature is referred to as a demon.

            “Aah.” Sai says at a loss for words.

            “Sai, I want you to follow me back to the Haruno’s where we will discuss things further, from now on you will be staying with me at all times.” Naruto orders him.

            “But-,” Sai starts.

            “Orphaned witches should stick together, no?” Naruto asks teasingly as he dissolves his barrier and starts walking back to the Haruno estate.

            Behind him he hears Sai let out a soft gasp and then the sound of running steps can be heard behind him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you everyone for reading my fan-fiction!

**Author's Note:**

> As you can read this is far from over. I will try to have the whole finished fan-fiction up by Halloween. This was actually supposed to be a one or two chapter fan-fiction but it has taken on a life of its own and I must let it flourish instead of cutting its blooming buds. 
> 
> Next chapter will be a time skip and Naruto's grand entrance.


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